NHS carbon footprint set to be cut following successful Highland pilot; social care minister Maree Todd hears of success of National Green Theatres Programme during visit to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness
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WORK to slash the carbon footprint of health services in the Highlands has proven such a success that it is being rolled out across the country.
Maree Todd, who is Scotland's social care minister as well as the MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, got the chance to talk with staff about the National Green Theatres Programme during a visit to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness this week.
The programme, which was developed by health professionals, aims to cut the high carbon emissions and waste typically generated in surgery while maintaining patient safety and quality of care.
And the scheme's supporters believe its first set of actions could reduce CO2 emissions by 7100 tonnes – the equivalent of 4400 single passenger return flights from Glasgow to New York.
Some of the measures – all of which it is said can be made without impacting patient safety or standards – include the removal of anaesthetic gases from the supply chain, introducing waste segregation, moving away from single-use instruments or consumables where possible, and switching from pre-operative intravenous to oral paracetamol.
The programme is being rolled out across the country following a successful pilot in NHS Highland.
Visiting the green theatre at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, Maree Todd said: “The roll out of the Green Theatres Programme is a very positive step in the right direction to making our NHS net zero by 2040.
“Our incredible NHS staff have worked tirelessly to develop a model that not only puts patients and their safety first, but will reduce our environmental impact.”
Dr Kenneth Barker, CfSD Clinical Lead for the National Green Theatres Programme said: “Our patients always comes first but it’s great that we are now making clinically safe patient care decisions with sustainability in mind.
“Theatres are high carbon and energy intensive areas that produce high volumes of waste, so reducing their environmental impact will make a positive difference toward achieving Scotland's net zero targets.
“We are working with our National Green Theatres Specialty Delivery Group and national partners to support Boards to implement these actions and are developing a Green Map to monitor progress.”
